Survey Analysis

This survey was sent to park managers to gather information about park management in regard to conservation and recreation. These questions ask about park trails, waste disposal, watercraft recreation and sustainability. This survey sought to provide information that would guide project designs to minimize the impact of human recreation on the environment. In other words, designing ways to balance conservation and recreation at parks. 

At ODNR, there are currently 76 park managers. The survey was distributed to 59 of those park managers and 26 responses were received. 

For questions about management of park trails, of issues that are frequently seen and monitored, 85% of participants stated that littering was an issue at parks, with 70% saying improper disposal of waste (such as dog waste) and 65% saying trail damage. 

In regards to waste disposal, the top strategies that were implemented to reduce waste found in parks include educational signage and accessible recycling waste bins with 92% participants stating this. With these strategies, park managers state that the addition of recycling bins have made it easier for people who wish to be responsible. However, some visitors end up putting non recyclable waste into recycle bins. Some park managers state that there is still a lot of litter seen around the parks and that these strategies did not work.

When asked what they’d like to see from the capstone project to improve waste management, many park managers have said that waste pickups have limited or lack of service in their parks, while others have said to have improved signage to educate the public.  

For waterpark recreation, pollution, habitat damage and invasive species were the most common issues, with 70%, 53% and 50% of park managers noting this respectively.

When asked about what sustainability meant to the park managers, many have described it as providing park operations and managing resources with low impact on the environment as well as creating systems that are long lasting.

The information gathered conveys that park managers are interested in conservation of parks and are seeking ways to minimize the impact of recreation. This information can provide insights on specific issues that can be tackled to reduce human impact, whether it’s designing a new system or updating an existing one.